February 21, 2024

The Traditionalist and the Modernist Catholics (Part 2)

Jude Missa

We recently shared what is the Traditionalist and Modernist Catholics and their beliefs. Now, we would like to share their attitudes and also their expression about the Catholic Church, Vatican II, the Traditional Latin Mass and the Novus Ordo Mass.

Take note, this thing that we share about them doesn’t mean that all of these Catholics have the same attitude. Let’s get started.

Attitude of the Modernist Catholics

Most of the Modernist Catholics are approachable which we can say typical on these days. But when it comes to correction of errors in the church, either they will tell you “the teachings of the past is not applicable today” or they will not say a word because they have no basic knowledge about Catholicism. And when it comes to the teachings of Vatican II, most of them approve it including recent heretic words and blasphemous action of the Pope. Some of them do not think that changing religion from Catholicism is not a sin. But not all modernist has this kind of attitude because some of them doesn’t agree with the Pope or any superiors wrong actions. Sadly, some of the modernist Catholics are more centre for humanity than to God, while some are self centred which this attitude is from the Born Again Christians. I remember when I attend a Novus Ordo Mass, at the end of the Mass, the Priest called a young man who will enter the Seminary which is improper because the Mass hasn’t ended yet to start an additional program. Then this young man starts to tell his life, an action similar to the sharing segment of the Charismatic Catholics which, influenced by the Born Again Christians. Like it or not, the Holy Mass is only focused to God. He is the centre of our Life.

Attitude of the Traditional Catholics

They are blessed to learn more about Catholicism and attend the Holy Mass in a traditional way. Unlike the Modernist, they believe that you have gravely sinned if you convert to other religion from Catholicism because you are now leaving and denying the truth. But some of them acted that they are already Holy or they are always in true than the other Catholics who do not know the Traditional Latin Mass. I remember that my female companion wears a pair of pants on the way to the church but she will go straight to the comfort room to change her pants to long skirt. But an old lady saw she came and asked why she is not wearing a skirt and she answered, “she will get change”. After she wore a skirt, the old lady is still there and tell her that she is a Novus Ordo with a bad look. We just understand the lady because she is old, BUT we didn’t know that there are other people within the community had this kind of attitude. Until the New Parish Priest rebukes them, when there is a one Lenten season where some traditionalist people turn away the people who wear improper attire (men wearing shorts, while women wear pants or mini skirts) during the Visita Iglesia. The Parish Priest wants to welcome these people so they will know the Traditional Latin Mass. How can we teach the truth and what is right if we sway them? Did St. Paul the Apostle turns away the Gentiles from the Truth? No, he welcomed them and teach them the truth, and this gentiles are the one who most preach the Gospel than the converted Jews.

Modernist attitude towards the Traditional Latin Mass

Most of the modernist hates the Traditional Latin Mass because they don’t understand it, too solemn and also, it is not the Mass that the Vatican II taught. Another reason is it is too Traditional where only the Priest mostly celebrates the Mass including the reading the Epistles and Gospels without lectors who are ordinary faithful or one of the lay ministers. Also, they don’t accept this Mass because it does not accept women as lectors and altar servers. But they don’t know that this Mass is the true Holy Sacrifice. It is solemn because it is not only remembering the resurrection, but mostly the Passion and death of our Lord, this is the reason why it is called the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. And this is the main reason why clapping, dancing or any kinds of entertainment are not allowed during the Holy Mass.

Traditionalist attitude towards the Novus Ordo Mass

Similar to the modernist, the Traditionalist doesn’t like the Novus Ordo Mass because for them it is invalid and its form is from the Protestants. But the Novus Ordo Mass is a Holy Mass under the Catholic Church, that is why it is still a valid Mass. But the grace that the faithful received in this Mass was not full. The Holy Mass’ grace was reduced when Pope Paul VI reform of the Holy Mass, unlike the Traditional Latin Mass where we receive its full grace. We cannot say that the Novus Ordo Mass is invalid because the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is still present. God never abandon His faithful. The Traditionalist has the grace to attend the Traditional Mass but how about the good Catholic people who do not know the existence of the Traditional Latin Mass? If we say God is not present in the Novus Ordo Mass, then we declared God did abandoned His faithful even they are Good Catholics. The Traditionalist must refrain this kind of thought. In order for the other Catholics to correct their ways including the modernist, we should share the Sacred Tradition with them. Just like the Saints including the Apostles whom went all over the world to teach about our Lord, and they mainly teach the pagans whom does not know the true God.

Now you know the teachings of both Catholics, how do we approach them? How to deal with them? To approach the modernist, most of them welcome you with a smile so you teach them with a smile. To the traditionalist, we must also approach them with a smile even though they have their own belief, we must show them that we also believe in the truth but with love.

Brethren, we must remember. When we go to the Holy Mass, what is our number one priority? It is our Lord Jesus Christ! When we attend the Novus Ordo Mass, we pray to Christ and worship, but we must do it in a proper way without clapping or any liturgical abuses. If they don’t kneel in front of the Eucharist, kneel even you are the only one to do it. Receive Him using the tongue while kneeling even if the priest or the ministers will get mad at you. If you attend the Traditional Latin Mass, we went to worship Him and pray. It does not matter if you don’t like the community in this parish or its location is to far. Because what matters is we attend the Holy Mass for Christ, we also offer ourselves to Him and only to Him, not for the people around us.

We are Catholics, and worship Christ our Lord including His presence in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is our number one priority.